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As much as I want to give Wendi Thomas a chance, I always end up feeling that her opinions are one dimensional and not as broad reaching as they ought to be. For example; in her latest entry on the " Power of Poverty,"she opines on the need for governmental policy change in which I agreed wholeheartedly with her arguments. But please, pretty please, why can't she elaborate on all the reasons why we have such a large impoverished community here in Memphis, because the issues are not all related to government, race and greedy rich people.
Why does she not address the high percentage of children born to unmarried mothers, or a diminished priority for education as evidenced by the amount of children MIA from school until after Labor Day. Why does she not address the failure of many urban churches to care enough to come forward and provide mentoring role models. Why do we allow the fathers of the children to get away with desertion and what is the message to these children at an early age other "than they don't matter." Why do these woman not value themselves enough to say "no" to these dead beat thugs. How can we expect anything other than failure, poverty and hopelessness from people who are wrought with self doubt, self hatred and lack of hope..
On the other hand, there are also the poor who suffer and cause suffering because they possess continual moral failures, lack of empathy, and who extend predatory behavior to those who would be their neighbor. These are all questions worth addressing But rarely brought forward because of a growing fear that we will be labeled racist and therefor the very heart of the problem is never solved
Poverty in Memphis is a growing and desperate problem for our community but it cannot be fixed without the participation of all members and that includes the poor. Keeping people in perpetual victim hood does nothing to solve the problem. We need to be more balanced in our diagnosing so that all parties can come together to help solve this problem. Go deeper Wendi.